National Pollinator Week is almost around the corner — June 17 through June 23 to be exact — and Hudson local Jenna Bjork wanted to do her part. Bjork, member of the Lucky Horseshoes 4-H Club, saw Trinity Early Childhood Academy’s (TECA) work with monarch butterflies and thought: why not a garden?
“[TECA] were all for it,” Bjork said.
With funding from the Hudson Home and Garden Club and native plants sourced from the St. Croix County Tree Sale, Bjork, the Lucky Horseshoes and St. Croix Valley Beekeepers Association added a small pollinator garden for TECA students and staff to enjoy.
The team tilled and planted the plot on Sunday, June 9. Onlookers can see their work near the front doors of TECA, located at 614 Rivard Street.
“I’ve always been worried about nature and conservation,” she said, “I got a couple hives at home to learn about beekeeping and to connect with nature, you can really see the interconnectedness with nature and health.”
And that’s what National Pollinator Week is all about — a time to celebrate pollinator health and bring awareness on how individuals can protect these species.
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, some scientists estimate every one out of three bits of food exist because of pollinators. The transfer of pollen from one flower to another allows plants to reproduce, making for more food for humans and animals to utilize.
In a 2016 report, pollinator dependent crops in Wisconsin account for $230 million in annual production.
With these animals playing a key role in the ecosystem, they are also slowly dying off due to habitat loss, disease, parasites and environmental contaminants, according to the Wisconsin DNR. Pollinators are struggling to find the correct quantity and quality of food to survive.
The DNR suggests the best way to support pollinators is to plant native plants, which a list of local native plant nurseries can be found on their website.
“We can all do our part,” Bjork said. “And we can only benefit from doing so.”
National Pollinator Week has more information on its website, pollinator.org.
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